OBJECTIVETo explore the viral and host causes of hepatosteatosis in Chinese patient with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSA total of 562 patients (450 males and 112 females, age range 13-80 years) with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis B were enrolled in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: group without steatosis (460 patients) and group with steatosis (102 patients). The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), liver enzymes, cholesterol, triglyceride, APO-A, APO-B, urine acid (UA), fasting serum glucose (FSG) and HBeAg, viral load.

RESULTSSteatosis was present in 102 patients (18.15%). The degree of liver steatosis in 97 (95.10%) patients were less 30%. Steatosis was found in 98 (21.78%) of male patients and 4 (3.75%) of female patients (P < 0.01). In the group of chronic hepatitis B with steatosis, the prevalence of obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, alcoholic consumption, the BMI, cholesterol, triglyceride, UA and FSG levels were significantly higher than those in the group without steatosis (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found in the mean age, HBeAg, viral load between the two groups (P > 0.05). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the present of steatosis was positively correlated to BMI, TG and UA.

CONCLUSIONHepatosteatosis in chronic hepatitis B appears to be a result of metabolic factors of the host rather than the effect of viruses.